When you go to bed at night, do you find yourself tossing and turning but unable to fall asleep? Do you also feel like you have a lot of thoughts coming to your mind and you don't know where you went when you fell asleep? Zolpidem is a medication that doctors prescribe for insomnia. Today we are talking about the oral spray version of this. This is usually used for a short period of time.
Things you need to tell your doctor before taking this medicine
It is very important that your doctor is fully aware of your health condition before giving you this medicine. If you have any of the conditions below, be sure to tell your doctor about it.
| Health condition or habit | Description |
|---|---|
| Mental problems | If you have depression, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health problems. |
| Addictions | If you have previously been addicted to drugs or alcohol. If you are a regular drinker. |
| Liver diseases | If you have any liver disease. |
| Difficulty breathing | If you have conditions such as lung disease or sleep apnea. |
| Other medical conditions | Conditions such as myasthenia gravis (a disease that causes muscle weakness). |
| Activities done in sleep | If you have a habit of sleepwalking, eating, driving, or engaging in any other activity. |
| Allergies | If you have an allergy to zolpidem or any other medicines, foods, or dyes. |
| Pregnancy and breastfeeding | If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. |
How should I use this medicine?
This medicine should be used exactly as prescribed by the doctor.
- This should be used by spraying it into the mouth and onto the tongue .
- The best time to take the medicine is on an empty stomach and after you go to bed and get ready to sleep.
- Do not take more than the amount prescribed by your doctor.
- If you stop taking this medicine suddenly after a few weeks, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, do not stop taking the medicine suddenly without consulting your doctor. He or she will advise you to gradually reduce the dose if necessary.
Most importantly: This medicine is for you only. Never share it with anyone else. It can be dangerous.
What to do if you take too much medicine?
If you think you have taken too much medicine, immediately call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital , or go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the nearest hospital.
What other things can interact with Zolpidem?
When you take this medicine, tell your doctor about all other medications, vitamins, and herbal remedies you are taking, as some things can interact with this medicine.
You should be especially careful when taking Zolpidem with these things:
- Alcohol
- Some medicines for colds and allergies (Antihistamines)
- Other medications for depression, anxiety, or sleep
- Some medications for fungal infections (e.g. ketoconazole)
- Medicines for seizures
- Some painkillers (Narcotic medications for pain)
- Muscle relaxants given before surgery
- Herbal products that are said to help with sleep (e.g. valerian)
This list is not complete, so it's safest to tell your doctor about everything you take.
Things you should be careful about when taking medication
There are a few things you need to pay attention to when using this medicine.
Be careful of strange things you do in your sleep!
This is one of the most dangerous side effects of this drug. Some people, after taking this drug, can wake up from sleep and do various things without any memory of what they were doing. When they wake up in the morning, they don't remember any of it.
Things like this could happen:
- Sleep-driving
- Wake up, prepare food, and eat.
- Making phone calls
- Sleepwalking
These things can cause serious harm. If you notice that something like this has happened to you, stop taking the medicine immediately and talk to your doctor. Also, do not take this medicine the night before you have drunk alcohol. Do not take it with any other sleeping pills. Doing so will increase the risk.
Be aware of the drowsiness that occurs the next day.
After taking this medicine, you should be able to sleep for at least 7-8 hours straight . Otherwise, do not take it.
Even if you feel refreshed the next morning, your brain function may be a little impaired. Therefore, do not drive or operate machinery for at least 8 hours after taking this medicine.
If you notice a change in your behavior or mentality...
If you or your family members notice any changes in your behavior - for example, feeling more depressed than before, feeling like you're trying to harm yourself, feeling angry all the time, or having unusual thoughts - tell your doctor right away.
Side effects that may occur due to this medicine
Like any medicine, this one can have side effects. Some of them are dangerous, some of them are normal.
| Nature of the side effect | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Side effects that should be reported to the doctor immediately | |
| Allergic reactions | Skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. |
| Decreased brain function (CNS depression) | Slow or shallow breathing, difficulty breathing, fainting, confusion, frequent sleepiness. |
| Mental and behavioral changes | Anxiety, agitation, hallucinations, anger, suicidal thoughts. |
| Unusual sleep behaviors | You do things like sleep-driving, eating, etc. without remembering. |
| Vision changes | Blurred vision, seeing rings around lights, loss of vision. |
| Side effects that are usually not dangerous, but should be reported to the doctor if they persist | |
| Next-day drowsiness | Feeling sleepy all day the next day. |
| Headache | A common headache. |
| Dizziness | Feeling faint. |
| Stomach discomfort | Diarrhea. |
How to keep medicine safe?
- Keep this medicine out of the reach of children and pets . This can be fatal if used by a small child or animal, even by mistake.
- This medicine may be misused by some people, so keep it in a safe place where it cannot be stolen .
- Store at room temperature (between 15-30 degrees Celsius). Keep the spray bottle upright. Do not refrigerate.
- If you have any leftover, unused medications, mix them with something like coffee grounds or cat litter, put them in a tightly sealed bag or can, and throw them in the trash.
Take-Home Message
- You should only take this medicine before you go to bed, and only if you are able to sleep for at least 7-8 hours straight.
- Never take this medicine with alcohol. It is very dangerous.
- Be very careful about things like sleepwalking and driving. If anything like that happens, tell your doctor immediately.
- Do not drive the day after taking the medicine until you know exactly how it affects you.
- This medicine is for you only. Never give it to anyone else.
- Always follow your doctor's instructions exactly, especially when stopping medication.
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